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Update: Time pushed back half-hour for 'Mayor's Community Conversation'

UPDATE: The starting time of the time Mayor's Community Conversation has been moved to 6:30 p.m. Monday. The location is the same.

Originally, the time was set for 6 p.m.

The city announced the change just after 4 p.m. Monday.

ORIGINAL STORY: An opportunity to meet Monday evening with Abilene Mayor Anthony Williams and City Manager Robert Hanna is a reflection of Williams' desire to change the culture of government in Abilene, he said Friday.

Williams and Hanna will host the first Mayor's Community Conversation Monday, beginning at 6 p.m. in Conference Room 1 at the Abilene Convention Center, 1100 N. Sixth St.

"One thing that I talked about for several months during the campaign was the opportunity to have some authentic conversations with the Abilene community," Williams said.

Monday's meeting will not be overly scripted or formal, he said.

"I will make a statement that will open it up, I will kind of set the parameters. I will say some things that I want to discuss," he said. "But then I'll give way and really allow the community to provide feedback."

Williams said that he wasn't sure whether five people would show up, or 50 or 100, to the first of what is expected to be an ongoing series of meetings.

"But we're really wanting the opportunity for citizens to come and ask us questions and for us to respond to those questions — acknowledging that some things may be asked that we may not be able to, in a comprehensive way, address in that setting," Williams said.

Even in those cases, he said, "there is commitment to be able to follow up and provide detail to the inquiries that are made."

"I really wanted to deliver on what I communicated about the accessibility to local government," he said.

Williams said that three dozen public conversations the city recently held discussing a potential street fee, moving a City Council meeting to evening hours, and having a once-a-month evening workshop are further indications of that desire for accountability.

Further, Williams said he "offer(s) himself on most Fridays" to have discussions with anyone about business they deem important.

"What we're attempting to do is really change the culture," he said. "When you change the culture, you change your mindset, and that's not all accomplished within a few months. But if you're constantly doing things that we are doing, we do have the opportunity to change the culture."

Williams said that he wanted people to be engaged and feel that their ideas, opinions, and "more importantly, their expectations," are heard by those casting votes and making decisions.

"And we're going to get there, by providing accessibility, availability and accountability," he said.